


Turn The White Snow Red As Strawberries

by HarleySlytherinQuinn



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Creature Fic, Creature Harry, F/M, Kinda, Love Potion/Spell, M/M, Multi, Soulmates, harry has to deal with so much, why can't he have a normal year for once?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 07:24:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13118901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HarleySlytherinQuinn/pseuds/HarleySlytherinQuinn
Summary: Everything just had to happen to Harry, doesn't it? Voldemort, Voldemort again and now... this.The moment Harry woke up, he knew something was off. It wasn’t that it was his fifteenth birthday (although that was nice), however. Harry sat up and cast his eyes around the room, trying to wheedle out what was wrong. When he couldn't see anything different from the night before, Harry’s ears and tail twitched in distress.Harry froze.Ears? Tail? ...Twitched?





	1. I Was Following The Pack

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Anything you recognise here is not owned by me, sadly. It is owned by J.K. Rowling and anyone else associated with the creation and publication of the Harry Potter universe, such as the publishers, etc. I am not profiting financially from this fan fiction, or any others I write.
> 
> Yay! I'm so excited! Don't expect regular updates because I'm bad at staying on schedule and somethings might come up, so I can go several months without an update. 
> 
> Enjoy!

The moment Harry woke up, he knew something was off. It wasn’t that it was his fifteenth birthday (although that was nice), however. Harry sat up and cast his eyes around the room, trying to wheedle out what was wrong. When he couldn't see anything different from the night before, Harry’s ears and tail twitched in distress.

Harry froze.

Ears? Tail? _...Twitched?_

Harry tumbled out of his bed, cursing loudly. Jumping up, he stumbled into the adjoining bathroom, hoping against hope that this was just some awful dream. What he saw made him groan. No such luck, then.

Slowly, Harry brought his hand up to his hair. Maybe… maybe the mirror was faulty, maybe-

No. There they were. His fingers gingerly brushed the top of the furry ears, just peeking out from his unruly hair. He suppressed a shiver. The sensations were not… unpleasant. Rather nice, really. Harry shook his head. He didn’t want to deal with that at the moment. And... he didn't have any ears on the  _side_  of his head! How was he going to wear his glasses?

Harry whimpered as he twisted around to look at the other problem. A long, also furry tail protruded out from just above his arse. Currently, it was curled in anguish. Both of these additions were a vibrant orange.

How had this happened? What _was_ he? Obviously not completely human anymore.

Harry cocked his head and stared at the reflection. He looked kind of like a cat. But human. Human-cat? Cat-human? Harry didn’t even know anymore. He didn’t want to have to put up with this. He was stressed enough with Voldemort now resurrected. How much was it to ask for just _one_ year of his to go unbothered?

Harry let out a sigh. He might as well go downstairs. Maybe Hermione would know what he had become. And how to fix the problem of wearing glasses.

When he got to the kitchen, he meandered at the doorway for a moment. Remus was the one who noticed him first. His nostrils flared, and he turned his head towards Harry. That was the only warning Harry got, before Remus lunged _over_  the table, scattering dishes and glasses.

Harry yelped, scrambling backwards, bracing himself for Remus to crash into him. It didn’t come. Harry looked up to see Sirius with his arms around Remus’ waist, restraining him. Remus let out a very animalistic sounding growl as he struggled in Sirius’ arms.

Sirius sent a bewildered look at Harry, who stepped out of the way silently and puzzled, letting Sirius tug Remus through the doorway. Harry caught a whiff of a very dog-like scent as Remus was pulled past. There was a silence for all of five seconds, as everyone still in the room stared at Harry before he broke it.

“Er…” Harry shifted nervously from foot to foot, eyes darting around.

Suddenly, he got a faceful of bushy, brown hair. “Oh, Harry! You have ears! And a tail!” Hermione squealed, pulling back and holding him at arm's length, studying him.

Harry started to run his fingers through his hair, but they caught on his ears. He let out a little sound of mild anger, scowling. “What am I? Like, a cat or something?”

Ron came up to them, then. “Nah, you’d have whiskers, wouldn’t you?” He said and squinted at Harry's new additions. “Mate, how do you not know what you are? I mean, what happened?” He reached out and touched an ear. Again, Harry fought not to shudder.

Harry blinked at him. “I don’t know. I just woke up like this. I came down because I thought Hermione would know.”

They both turned to look at Hermione, who was chewing on her lip in deep thought.

“I think you might be a fox of some kind,” announced Hermione, staring at Harry’s ears.

Harry opened his mouth to reply, but someone spoke up from behind him before he could. “Yes, he is. Harry is a kitsune,” a hoarse voice said.

Harry turned around and skittered backwards once he caught sight of Remus. He smelt slightly different. More human now, than like a wolf. Remus let out a tired smile as if he knew what Harry was thinking. “I’m sorry for how I behaved earlier. I think my werewolf senses caught ahold of your scent and reacted strongly. But yes, you is a kitsune.”

Harry stared at Remus. “And how come your wolf isn’t reacting now?”

“I’ve suppressed it,” he said simply and said no more on the subject.

Hermione cleared her throat. “Can you tell us about kitsune? I’ve read about them in books, but they’re a very secretive species, aren’t they? Nobody really knows much about them.” Her eyes lit up with that familiar, almost manic glimmer that signified the start of an obsession for information.

“That’s true. Well, let me think.” Remus thought for a minute as if dredging up information about kitsune from deep in his mind. As he was thinking, Sirius steered him towards a chair.

“When he gets thinking, he’ll forget everything else. I’ve seen him like this before at Hogwarts, when he was doing _homework_ ,” Sirius said in a stage whisper. He gave a dramatic shudder as Harry and Ron both laughed, but, of course, Hermione sniffed disapprovingly.

Remus rolled his eyes and swatted Sirius’ arm. “Okay, so from what I know, those with a kitsune inheritance usually come into whenever their genes deign them ready. Happy birthday, by the way,” Remus added with a fond smile. He opened his mouth to continue, but Harry was bombarded with hugs and exclamations of congratulations (and slight shame for getting so caught up in the drama that they forgot).

“Anyway,” Remus continued when they were done, smiling indulgently, “a kitsune is rather like a veela, apart from a few major differences. Kitsune originated from Japan, whereas veela came from France. Although kitsune also have an allure, it is much weaker and they rely more on their looks to attract people. I would say it acts more like a suggestion than, you know, forcing someone to like them. They are also very playful and, well, free creatures. It is said that they absolutely despise closed spaces, mainly because of how open and uninhibited they are. Kitsune also have a special way of harnessing their magic that only works for their species, although the wizarding way works for them as well.”

Hermione stared at Remus with her jaw slightly slack. “How do you know so much about them? You could write a book about them, and tell the world what they are like! Imagine-” She began, but Remus interrupted, his face closing off and going cold abruptly.

“It is not my information to tell. Kitsunes are a secretive species for a reason. I won’t tell you any more if you keep trying to get me to spill all their secrets. And anyway, there is undoubtly still much I don't know.”

Hermione opened her mouth angrily to retort back, but Ron laid a hand on her shoulder, restraining her. Hermione blushed. “You still haven’t said _how_  you know so much,” she muttered sulkily.

“I know someone who is a kitsune. He is a close friend of mine, and he told me about his race, trusting me not to tell anyone, so I implore you not to go around just speaking of this. This is for Harry’s benefit only and I know how much he trusts you,” Remus replied, gazing around the room, making eye contact with everyone until they all nodded. “Kitsune can also turn into foxes at will, like Animagi. The major difference is that kitsune can have multiple tails up to the maximum of, I think, nine.”

Ron frowned. “How would that work?”

“It corresponds to their pure magical power. The more magical competence the kitsune has, the more tails they will have when in their fox form.”

Hermione turned to Harry excitedly, breaking out of her annoyed state once she had heard that. She grasped Harry's arm.

“Harry, you should try that! We could see your magical strength!” Hermione cried, her eyes glinting.

Harry looked at Remus who nodded encouragingly. “That would be a good idea,” he agreed.

“How?” Harry asked and turned to Sirius, who he knew what the only one in that room who could turn into another animal at will.

Until then, Sirius had stayed mostly silent but now he tilted his head and hummed. “When I turn into a dog, I just concentrate on my form and I don't know, imagine my body shifting.”

Harry scowled. That wasn’t much to go on, but nevertheless, Harry tried to follow Sirius’ instructions. He closed his eyes and imagined himself as a little orange fox. It made sense for his fur to be orange as a fox since his ears and tail were orange-coloured in human form, as was every other kitsune, he assumed. He thought about how it would feel for his body to morph and shrink into a fox. Harry opened his eyes and peered down at himself. Nothing had changed. His hands were still hands, and his body was still a human body.

“It didn't work,” Harry said in dismay.

Ron patted him comfortingly on the shoulder. “It’s okay, mate, you’re only new, anyway. It makes sense for you to not be able to do it on the first try.”

Harry smiled at them. “Yeah, okay.” It didn’t really matter that much, anyway. Not at that moment. "Er... but do you know how I'm going to wear glasses?"

In the end, they took Harry to a wizarding optometrist and they gave him contact lenses and - fortunately - not asking any questions about his ears and tail. They all agreed later on that without glasses, Harry did look better anyway.

Harry Potter, a kitsune. Who would've thought?

***

It was incredibly strange going back to Hogwarts as a kitsune. As far as he could tell, he was the only one in the school. And of course, it blew up in the media. The _Daily Prophet_  wrote article after article, speculating and speaking about his ‘condition’, as they put it.

In Hogwarts, everyone was suddenly clamouring to get his attention. He received so many declarations of love and date askers in the first week, he had Professor McGonagall put a filter on what could reach him through the post. Harry found it amusing that people suddenly found him so much more appealing when he was a different creature.

But the strangest thing wasn’t the media, nor the other students, but it was that Harry actually _enjoyed_  it. He would flirt openly now with just about everyone, and it was just natural to do so. He supposed this was the kitsune in him acting up, but he couldn’t find it in himself to disagree.

The other thing that kept his attention, was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Dolores Umbridge. Everyone had already decided that she was by far the worst teacher they had had. She closely resembled a large toad, and Harry found himself absolutely despising her the moment his eyes caught hers. Strangely, he had the urge to show her how things in Hogwarts _should_  run, and his eyes often subconsciously drifted towards the Weasley twins as he thought up of prank ideas. This, he knew, was most definitely the kitsune influencing him.

***

“Harry! Pay attention! And for Merlin’s sake, _stop flirting_!” Hermione hissed, grabbing Harry’s hand just as he was about to drop in a handful of pulverised foxglove.

Harry sent one last wink to Lavender Brown who blushed and giggled before he turned back to Hermione and his cauldron. “What?” He said innocently.

Hermione frowned. “You were about to add the foxglove before the powdered lacewing flies! You should know that it would have caused a mild explosion, Professor Snape told us about that. Even our first-year potions book, Magical Drafts and Potions talked about it, you should remember!” Harry let Hermione’s voice wash over him, humming and nodding at random intervals.

Suddenly, Hermione fell silent as a shadow descending over the two. “What, may I ask, are you doing, Mr Potter?”

Harry deigned not to tell him that it was actually Hermione talking, yet the snarky words swirled around his head as he scowled. “Doing my potion, _sir_ ,” he muttered.

“Then why are you holding a handful of _foxglove_  when your potion is still at the stewing stage?” Snape looked down at Harry over his hooked nose.

“I was… moving it… sir. Er- because I need to add the powdered lacewing flies first otherwise…. It will cause an explosion. A mild one. Uh, you stated that at the start of the lesson and it was also in Magical… Drafts and Potions,” Harry rattled off, searching in his mind for the words Hermione had said.

Snape stared down at Harry impassively for a moment, before he whirled around and stalked back to the front of the classroom. “Ten points from Gryffindor,” Snape barked over his shoulder.

Harry opened his mouth to protest but shut it with a click when Snape sneered at him as if just daring him to speak out. Ron had no qualms, however. “What? What did he do?” He squawked. The whole of Gryffindor gave a collective groan.

Snape turned slowly to smirk at Ron and prowled down to Ron’s table, who paled, probably realising what he just did. “He lost ten points for touching the foxglove first. It could have left residue on his hand, therefore resulting in a chance of some getting into the potion before the lacewing flies are added. And you, Mr Weasley, have just lost another ten points for speaking out of turn. Well?” He demanded. “Anything else to add?”

Ron shook his head silently. Snape gave a satisfied smirk and swept back to the front again.

As he did, his robes billowed out around him and disturbed the air. A sweet, cool scent reached Harry’s nostrils, and before he knew it, he was on his feet, the chair clattering to the ground behind him.

He didn't even know why he did it. All he knew, was that it smelled _amazing_. Straight away, Harry knew it was another kitsune’s scent.

 _Is this what kitsune smell like?_  He thought dizzily, but before he even finished that thought, he knew it wasn't true. It was only _that_  particular scent that smelled so delectable to him.

He heard someone clear their throat in front of him, snapping him out of his daze.

“Mr Potter…” Snape growled softly, dangerously. “What do you think you're doing?”

Harry swallowed, looking around wildly. He _had_  to find that scent. “I… I don't know,” he replied distractedly, nostrils flaring and eyes darting around as he searched for the owner of that sweet, sweet aroma.

“Do you think yourself so above others that you can just disrupt my class?” He continued, in that same soft voice that promised terrible things. He paused, staring impassively at Harry as he continued to try and search for the mysterious bearer of the fragrance. “ _And_  ignore me while I speak? Do you think that now you’re more _special_ , you can act however you want in _my_  classroom?”

“Uh…” Harry answered coherently. “Um- I’m sorry,” he mumbled, casting his eyes down even as he tried to find the source of the scent.

“I think another fifteen points and a detention will suffice,” Snape snapped.

Harry couldn’t wait for the lesson to be over. He could vaguely tell that the scent was coming from one of the Slytherins, but he didn’t know which. None of them met his eye when he glanced searchingly at them. Either they were avoiding looking at him, or just didn’t realise he was staring at them.

When the potions class was finally over (in which Harry spectacularly destroyed his already mess of a potion), Harry stalked up to the Slytherins as they walked out of the classroom, laughing and talking.

He stood in front of them as he tried to figure out who it was drawing him in.

“May we help you, Potter?” Malfoy sneered as they stopped in front of him.

“Which one of you is it?” Harry demanded. He stared at Malfoy then at Zabini and Nott, Crabbe and Goyle (Harry shuddered to think what it would be like if it was one of _them_ ) and two females, Parkinson and Bulstrode.

Parkinson snorted as she clung to Malfoy’s arm. Harry had the feeling that she would agree with anything Malfoy said, no matter how ridiculous. “Thinking about us, have you?” She simpered, sounding surprisingly much like Umbridge.

Harry scowled and resisted the urge to gag. “You wish,” he said and turned away. _Just one of you._ He had already gotten what he came for. For some reason, he couldn’t smell the scent of the other kitsune anymore. He supposed that they had realised he knew they were there, and masked their scent. Harry was extremely frustrated. He _needed_  to know about them!

But it was okay. At least for the moment, Harry could wait. They would have to reveal themselves eventually, and when they did, Harry would be there, ready and waiting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So?? Did you like it? Did you not? Also, near the start of the chapter where there were the words 'and slight shame for getting so caught up in the drama that they forgot' I wrote 'getting so caught up in the tea' and it was only when editing I realised that that wasn't the language I should be writing fanfics in. (Tea=gossip/drama)
> 
> Feel free to drop a comment and kudos! In fact, I would be absolutely delighted if you did, whether it be for improvements or stuff you liked (or both).
> 
> Merry Christmas and for those who don't celebrate it, Happy Holidays!


	2. All Swaddled In Their Coats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there are things to do with ears, a cage and a new character. Oh, and tails.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's day one of this horror that has been named 2018. When will it end? And if it does, will another start? No time to talk now, there are things to do. Monsters to fight. Fears to face. I feel I do not have much time left. Who knows what could happen tomorrow, the day after, or the next?
> 
> XD No, I'm joking. But really, I hope this year is much better than the last. :/ Anyway, read this new chapter while I go off and try to remember my new year's resolution.

  
That night, in the Gryffindor common room, Harry had to listen to Hermione lecture him about his disobedience and strange behaviour in potions.

Harry finally sighed. “I’m sorry, Hermione. I promise it won’t happen again,” he said and fluttered his eyelashes in an attempt to placate her.

Hermione softened and sighed as well. “Oh, you,” she said exasperatedly. “Come here.”

Harry scooted towards her warily. She pulled his head into her lap and started to stroke her fingers through his hair. Harry’s eyes widened and he glanced at Ron. Ron only shrugged and laid his head down on Hermione’s other thigh. Harry was surprised at how well Ron was taking all of this. He was sure by now that Ron and Hermione had something between them. Harry stuck out his tongue at Ron, who returned it by scrunching up his face and blowing out his cheeks. They both snorted with laughter. Hermione giggled and swatted their shoulders.

“You guys act like a couple of children,” she said fondly, yet made no move to make them sit up, and instead ran her fingers through their hair.

Harry let his eyes flutter shut. Hermione’s fingers brushed lightly over his ears. She paused, then smoothed her hand over his other ear, stroking and petting it. Involuntarily, a rumbling (purring?) began from deep in Harry’s chest. 

He gave a little yelp as Hermione tugged lightly on the ears, then nuzzled into the touch, trying to create more contact. It felt like a thousand lightning bolts were crawling from those fox ears down his scalp, and over his spine. The friction was delicious and incredibly pleasant. Without even realising it, Harry arched his neck, pressing his ears more firmly into Hermione’s nimble fingers and gave a little moan.

Then Hermione’s fingers still, and Harry nuzzled into the same fingers, silently asking her to continue. When she didn’t, Harry’s eyes flew open.

He froze. All around him were the other students from Gryffindor. He smiled weakly, not sure what they wanted of him. “Um…” he said tentatively, “Hi?”

“I never realised how beautiful you are, Harry,” Ron breathed. Harry scooted backwards and tried another uneasy smile.

“Er- Thanks, Ron. But uh, I don’t think I’m your type,” he replied. It was then that he realised that everyone around him had glazed and dilated eyes. Harry swallowed. What was going on?

“Oh, but I can make you my type. We can work together, I promise,” Ron said, swaying closer towards him.

“No… I’m not interested,” Harry tried to protest. He backed up slightly but walked into another person, who grabbed his arm. He spun around and caught the eye of Katie Bell as he tried to wrench his arm from her grasp.

“Stop!” He cried. He was starting to panic. What would happen if he couldn’t snap them out of this… trance? What would happen to _him_?

“Oh, but Harry, we just want to make you feel _good_ ,” someone purred. Harry didn’t bother trying to find out who.

“Please, get away from me!” Harry said desperately. He clawed at the arms, raking his nails down them in a futile attempt to make them release him.

Even so, more hands clamped down on him. Harry tried to twist away, but there were too many people grabbing and touching him.

Someone leant down to brush their lips over the shell of Harry's ear, their breath ghosting along it.

Suddenly, the portrait entrance burst open. Harry almost sobbed in relief.

He turned around and flung himself into the person who had just come in. “Help me, please! I don’t know what happened but they all started crowding me and-” Harry babbled until he glanced up and saw Professor Dumbledore’s surprised face.

Dumbledore's bespectacled eyes scanned the room and its occupants. His eyes widened, and Harry knew then that he had realised what was going on.

He placed his palm flat on Harry's back and pushed him in the direction of the exit of the Gryffindor rooms. "Go," he commanded, before drawing his wand and swishing it around in the direction of the students currently reaching desperately for Harry. Red light bloomed from the tip of the wand and surrounded the Gryffindors. Harry stumbled to the portrait hole and began to climb out. When he turned around to look back at Dumbledore, the red cloud had cleared and all Harry's housemates were lying peacefully crumpled on the floor as if merely sleeping.

Dumbledore looked around the room once more, until he was seemingly satisfied. He gestured for Harry to go out all the way so he too could exit. Once they stood in the corridor outside, Professor Dumbledore waved his wand at the portrait, effectively sealing the rest of the Gryffindors in with a flash of light.

Silently, he led Harry to his office. Harry fidgeted nervously while he waited for Dumbledore to speak. Dumbledore sat down in his squishy armchair, and steepled his fingers, staring at Harry over his half-moon glasses. Harry couldn't help but feel ashamed.

"I'm afraid, Harry," Dumbledore finally spoke," that you could quite possibly be a danger to yourself and your schoolmates."

"I know that, sir. But what can I do?" Harry looked at the Professor imploringly. Of course, he knew he could 'quite possibly be a danger'. He already knew that, what with Remus in Grimmauld Place and what had just happened then.

Dumbledore gave a little sigh. "Well..." Dumbledore hesitated. "There could be one thing we could do. You would not like it."

Harry set his jaw. "Whatever it takes for everyone to be safe."

The Headmaster sighed once more. "That was what I thought you would say. If you would kindly go stand on top of that cross?"

Harry turned around, scanning the floor for what Dumbledore described. It was near the corner of his office. Slowly, Harry went and stood on top of it.

The portraits of the previous Headmasters began muttering amongst themselves, all the while shooting suspicious and distrustful looks at Professor Dumbledore.

Harry swallowed. Was this a ritual? Maybe he had to stand exactly there because Dumbledore had already set things up.

"I'm sorry," Dumbledore whispered. Harry's brow furrowed in confusion, but before he could take a step forward, Dumbledore had raised his wand, swishing down.

Harry gave a little jump as something thudded down all around him. He hadn't realised he had closed his eyes but opened them when he heard Professor Dumbledore casting.

_No..._

"No!" He echoed aloud. His eyes widened in disbelief. Dumbledore couldn't do this to him, he couldn't just _do_  that.

But he _had_. Harry was in a _cage_. Metal bars rose up around him, too thick for Harry to be able to slip through.

"I'm sorry," Dumbledore repeated quietly. The portraits began furiously yelling at him.

"What are you doing?" "Disgraceful!" "And I thought you were a good man!" "Utter disgrace!" "Get him out this instant, you filthy excuse for a Headmaster!"

Harry's breath was starting to come faster as he began to panic. "No, no, no! Please! Let me out!" Harry cried. He backed up until he hit the bars behind him. This was not what he had expected at all when Dumbledore had suggested his plan.

"You know I can't, Harry. I wish I could but..." Dumbledore turned away. "It's okay, Harry. You won't be in here forever, only until another kitsune has arrived. Once we have talked and discussed things with him, I promise I shall let you out. And remember, it's for the safety of the school."

"Don't leave me in here! Please, sir! _Professor!_ " Harry screamed. He beat his fists against the bars, but only succeeded in bruising his hands. Dumbledore sent a sad, regretful look his way before leaving the room.

Harry sat down suddenly as the truth of what was really happening came to him. He was trapped. Stuck. Held prisoner. He could almost _feel_  the close, dense cage bars pressing into his skin, crushing his bones and body.

He couldn't- he couldn't do this. Surely, he was going to die. The cage was going to shrink, and shrink, and shrink…

Harry started to hyperventilate to and he screwed his eyes shut. So _this_  was what Remus had meant by kitsune hating tight, enclosed spaces. About needing to be free. A sob tore through Harry’s chest.

He couldn't move. He couldn't think. He had nowhere to stretch out, to run and laugh, to dance around in the open air. And it was _terrible_.

No one was going to come for Harry. He was going to wither away and die in this horrible, claustrophobic place. He was going to _die_ , he was sure of it.

Harry let out a desolate moan and banged his head on the ground. He tried to rearrange his limbs, only for them to press against the bars. Harry moaned again. It cut off in a pathetic whimper as tears leaked out of his eyes. His ears pressed flat against his head and his tail curled. He was never getting out and he couldn't move and he needed to be free and it was so tight and-

Harry cut his thoughts off before they could get any worse. It wouldn't do to panic. He _had_  to get out.

Harry took a deep breath and tried to slow his pulse. He pushed the worry and terror of being trapped deep in his mind and tried to ignore it.

Slowly, he ran his fingers down each bar, feeling for weak spots. Suddenly, he stiffened. He knew what he could do!

He could just change into fox form like Remus said he could and escape through the bars because _surely_  he could fit through those as a tiny little animal. Harry closed his eyes and took another deep breath. This should be easy. He was a kitsune.

 _Just concentrate_ , he thought as calmly as he could manage. He shut his eyes and cast his mind to what Sirius had said before in Grimmauld Place.

He blanked his mind, wiping it clean, before filling it with the want and determination of being a fox. Harry thought furiously for a few, long seconds before abruptly, he felt his body begin to shrink and contort. His eyes flew open and a startled gasp escaped from his mouth, though by now, it sounded more like a yelp and it came from a muzzle. The portraits all gasped at the same time as if watching an extremely interesting Quidditch match.

Harry gave a little yip and craned his head to look at himself. From what he could see, he had orange fur like he thought he would, considering his orange ears in person form. It was thick, sleek and glossy, unlike his own usually which was messy and wild. But then again, he had never really seen any fox with messy fur. Harry shook his body, then did it again, liking the way the fur swished as it moved.

He had to remind himself to get back on track. He was only a fox to break out of his confinement; he could examine himself later.

Eyes narrowing, Harry studied the bars. He slunk forward, and after darting his eyes around to make sure Dumbledore wasn't there watching, moved a slim paw between two of the bars. He held his breath, then released it after counting to ten in his head when he was sure nothing would happen. Then, he did the same to the other front paw.

When again nothing went off or Harry was forced back into the cage, Harry gently moved the rest of his body out. He let out a huff of relief and darted forward.

Suddenly, a shrill alarm went off from one of the many trinkets on the Headmaster's desk. Immediately, Harry shook his head, attempting to press himself into the floor and covered his ears with his paws, vainly trying to shut out the sound. He whimpered.

Then it stopped. Harry tentatively raised his head, unsure of what he would find. The sight of Dumbledore's long, white beard greeted him.

"Harry, Harry, Harry," he sighed. He looked disapprovingly down at the kitsune. Harry tried to scramble around him and out the open door, but Dumbledore just absently waved his wand, sending the fox crashing back into the cage.

Instantly, Harry transformed back into a human, with the exceptions of his ears and tail. Well, one of his tails, if he had more than one as a fox. He let out a pained groan. His back was most definitely going to bruise, though that wasn't the main problem. The problem at hand was that Dumbledore had locked him back in his confinement, and was currently strengthening the wards around it.

"Please..." Harry whispered though he didn't quite know what he was pleading for. Perhaps for him to be let out.

Dumbledore shook his head. "I wish I could, Harry. But as I told you, it is far too dangerous for you to be allowed to run free for this particular moment in time. After all, we do not know what unknown abilities or powers you could have." He looked down at Harry and his expression turned poignant and contemplative. "There is no need to worry, however. Remus' kitsune friend will be coming over soon to discuss with me about you, and once I know how we can control your magic, I promise I shall let you out."

"No... I can't stay in here! Please, at least just let me out in your office!" Harry choked out desperately, but Dumbledore had already walked out.

A fierce anger built inside Harry. How dare he lock Harry away in a cage. How dare he leave him to rot in there. Harry let out a feral scream. He made a fist and slammed it against the bars, over and over again, though it didn't even make a dent. Still, he kept going, venting out his anger in shrieks and grunts.

In that instant, all the fight went out of him abruptly. His fist throbbed now and tears were prickling in his eyes. Harry crumpled to the ground.

What was the point in fighting if he wasn't going to be let out?

***

"I must thank you for agreeing to come on such short notice, Mr Hatanaki," Headmaster Dumbledore said genially as he shook the kitsune's hand once he had come in the entrance hall.

"Please, call me Kai. And really, it's no problem at all. I'm always willing to help out another kitsune in need," Kai Hatanaki replied amiably. "So, where is this kitsune?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Ah, well you see, as I'm sure you would understand, Harry did cause a little disturbance last night. As I believe it, according to the students who witnessed it, Harry created a sort of frenzy. He apparently caused the other students from his house to well, try and... corner him."

Kai let out a chuckle. He definitely knew what the Headmaster was talking about. After all, it had happened to him too, when he had had less control of his powers. Then, a thought crossed his mind. He stopped and glanced at Dumbledore. "Did you say Harry? As in... Harry Potter? The Boy-Who-Lived?"

"Indeed I do. At this moment, I have locked him in a cage. For the sake of his and others safety, of course," Dumbledore replied.

All of Kai's good humour vanished in an instant. "You locked him in a _cage_?" He asked sharply. His ears twitched.

Dumbledore's brow puckered. "Yes. Does that pose a problem?"

"Of course it _poses a problem_!" Kai snapped, whirling around to glare at the staircase. "Take me to him now."

Dumbledore led Kai up the stairs to his office. "What is the matter?"

"The matter is that you never, _never_  put a kitsune in a cage!" Kai said this all without pausing in his stride. He had to get to the trapped kitsune as fast as possible.

"I didn't realise," Dumbledore said, surprised.

"Well, there is still no reason to ever to lock anyone, nevermind a mere _child_  in a cage! What were you even thinking?" Kai asked incredulously.

"I... I don't know," Dumbledore admitted, flustered. "It seemed like the most reasonable choice to take. Surely, Harry can't be too affected by being in confinement." Kai paused outside the entrance to the Headmaster's office and raised his eyebrows. 

Kai shook his head. "We don't have time your idiocy, now."

Dumbledore nodded, trying to hide his growing disturbment and spoke a spell to open the door.

Once inside, Kai rushed immediately to the metal-barred cage in the corner. There was an almost motionless body lying on the ground, curled up and shivering. "Open it," he snapped.

The moment the cage disappeared, Kai dropped to his knees and gathered the young kitsune in his arms.

"Harry," he crooned, "Harry, Harry, listen to me. Can you hear me, Harry? You're safe now, you're safe." He rocked him gently but there was no response.

Kai tilted Harry's face up and stared at it. The eyes that were rumoured to be the colour of the killing curse were a dull, dead green. They were gazing unseeingly and his jaw was slack.

He looked like someone who had been Kissed by a dementor.

Dumbledore spoke up, then. "Is there anything I can do?" Kai didn't even deign to give him a derisive glance.

"Don't bother, old man. You've ruined enough already."

Dumbledore hesitated. "Why does he look like..." He trailed off.

"Like his soul has been sucked?" Kai finished, not looking away from Harry's blank face. "Well, you see, putting a kitsune in a cage is the one thing that you should never do. Kitsune are known to be very free creatures, so it makes sense that they wouldn't like being in tight spaces for a long period of time. No, wait, that sounds too mild. Let me put it this way. If a kitsune is left in a cage, especially one as new as Harry here, their mind could break."

Dumbledore paled and looked down at Harry.

"Exactly," Kai said grimly, moving a hand to brush through Harry's hair. "C'mon, Harry. You can get through this. You're free, now. You're safe with me, Harry," he murmured.

When Harry didn't even twitch, Kai let out a sigh. "I wish I didn't have to do this," he muttered and passed a hand over Harry's brow.

Kai moved back a slight distance and closed his eyes. He removed the hand from Harry's forehead and held it out in front of him, palm facing upwards and fingers curled slightly as if holding something invisible. He ignored Dumbledore and focused on his breathing and thoughts.

When he opened his eyes, a ball of pure kitsune magic was glowing in his outstretched hand. It pulsed with an orange light. Kai swallowed. He hoped it would work.

Deliberately, he extended the hand towards Harry. "Harry, I need you to look at this for me. Look at the pretty colours. Don't you want to touch it? Isn't it just so compelling?" Kai enticed gently. He waved the ball of magic in front of Harry's face.

All of a sudden, Harry's eyes snapped to the orange-coloured glow. Awareness and cognizance began to make them shine that well-known green again, although it was the first time Kai was seeing it in person, and not on newspapers. Even so, Kai only got a meagre glimpse of those emeralds before Harry snarled and lunged at the ball of magic.

Kai quickly concentrated and the ball moved just out of Harry's reach. Harry growled again, eyes tracking the pulsing ball as it danced back and forth, teasing him.

Then Harry struck again, his fox instincts taking over, and pounced after the ball while it moved steadily around the room. Kai was reminded of a cat playing with a beam of light or a ball of yarn. Harry was so focused on the ball that he didn't realise it had travelled all the way around the room and one last leap sent him crashing into Kai's arms, the ball dissipating now that Kai had him alert and when he needed to be.

Harry hissed and struggled in his arms, but Kai merely tightened his hold, preparing to wait it out until he had calmed down. However, he hadn't accounted for Harry's instinctual kitsune magic acting up. Before Kai knew what was happening, the same type of orange glow that Kai had used surrounded Harry's fingers, sharpening the nails into claws. They lashed out, tearing the skin on Kai's cheek.

He let out a noise of pain but didn't relinquish his hold on Harry's writhing form. If anything, he held even tighter.

"Harry. Calm down, please, Harry," Kai cooed.

"Let me go!" Harry screamed. He swiped his claws again but Kai leaned back out of the way.

"Listen to me, Harry. You're safe with me. Look, I'm a kitsune, too," Kai said urgently, guiding Harry's hand (claw?) towards his tail. He drew in a breath and hoped Harry wouldn't claw it off wildly.

Harry stilled once he felt the soft fur under his fingers. The claws retracted until only his normal nails remained. "A kitsune?" He asked hopefully. He ran his fingers through the fur, over and over again as if he was reassuring himself.

"Yes, Harry. Just like you," Kai replied softly. His eyes fluttered shut despite the situation at hand. _Ahh,_ it did feel nice for someone to be touching his tail.

Once he opened them, he found Harry stared at him, obviously searching for deception. His eyes flickered up to his ears that were so like his own and the tail he was currently holding. Then, he promptly burst into tears.

Kai blinked at him in surprise. Well, he supposed he should have expected this. He was a fool to think Harry wouldn't be traumatized in the slightest and be needing comfort.

Harry buried his head into Kai's chest, tears beginning to soak his shirt. But Kai didn't mind, not really. He rubbed soothing circles on the small of Harry's back.

Then, Kai remembered Dumbledore was still in his office with them. Up until then, he had been completely silent. Now, he cleared his throat.

Harry looked up, then shrank back into Kai, his eyes beginning to flash angrily. "He locked me in there," he said plaintively to Kai. "Even after I told him not to."

Kai sighed and glared at Dumbledore too. "He won't touch you again," Kai promised sincerely. Harry was beginning to grow on him already, the little fox.

Suddenly, Harry groaned and covered his face, scooting backwards until there was a respectable distance between the two of them. "Oh Merlin," he said, mortified.

"What's wrong?" Kai asked immediately, prying Harry's hands off his face.

Harry flushed. "I don't even know you, yet I've already cried all over you _and_  acted like a feral... a feral _thing_!"

Kai snorted. "Well, I honestly don't mind. The same thing did happen to me when I was younger as well." He grinned, then stuck out his hand. "Here, let me introduce myself. Hi, my name's Kai Hatanaki. I am a kitsune with five tails and I am from Japan."

Harry giggled and shook his hand as solemnly as he could, although the effect was ruined by his wide grin. "You obviously already know who I am, but I'll tell you anyway. I'm Harry Potter, otherwise known as the boy-who-lived, the Chosen One, etcetera, etcetera." Harry waved his hand in the air dismissively and rolled his eyes. Kai couldn't hold back another snort of amusement, not that he wanted to. "I, too, am a kitsune. I don't exactly know how many tails I've got because, in all honesty, I've only changed into fox form once and I was at that moment too busy to actually study what I looked like." Harry shot a scowl at Dumbledore, who looked apologetically back.

Kai's ears perked up in curiosity. Now, this would interesting to know; how magically powerful the fabled Chosen One was. "How about you turn into a fox now and we can see?" He suggested.

Harry cocked his head in thought, then nodded. "I... Yeah. So, I'll just do it?" He glanced nervously at Dumbledore, tail flickering in the slight distress Kai could see.

"Well..." he drew the word out, also looking pointedly at Dumbledore.

He sighed and obediently walked out, but not before opening his mouth and attempting to speak again. Kai shook his head angrily and gestured frantically for him to just get going, standing up to usher him out.

"Are you ready, Harry?" Kai said once he had returned.

Harry shut his eyes and a crease appeared between them, a sign that he was concentrating. Before Kai's eyes, Harry started to change. He began to shrink, his jaw elongating into a snout. Soft, orange fur sprouted out from his skin. Kai winced. For him, that was the most painful part of his transformation. The awful itching that wouldn't disappear until the change was over...

Kai shook himself out of his musings. By then, Harry had already finished his alteration into fox form. He gave a little wiggle and ran around Kai, yipping playfully.

Kai laughed, crouching to run his fingers through Harry's fur. Harry gave another happy wiggle and yipped again. _Come play with me_ , Kai could almost hear. After years of studying foxes and his own race, he knew most of the subconscious universal signs that any kitsune used, and this was one of them.

Kai opened his mouth to speak, but he caught sight of the reason he had Harry turn into a fox in the first place. His mouth hung open as the words died in his throat.

It wasn't possible. Surely, it wasn't possible. But it was. Oh, it was. Just... almost unheard of. So rare, that these particular kitsune are treasured beyond anything else.

Kai knew he should've expected it, anyway. Harry _was_  the one who vanquished the current Dark Lord as a mere babe, and was destined to do it again. Or so the people who believed You-Know-What did indeed return the year before.

So who could be more suited to having _nine_  tails than Harry Potter himself?

***

Harry growled lightly and jumped up to latch his teeth onto Kai's sleeve. He liked being a fox. It meant he could be carefree, without having to worry about pressure from the public or anything else.

Kai looked down, obviously startled out of deep thought. His eyes kept flickering to something behind Harry.

Harry made a slight questioning sound, tilting his head and pricking up his ears in curiosity.

Kai coughed, scratching Harry's ears absently. Harry whined. He was annoyed that he wasn't getting enough attention.

"Your tails, Harry..." Kai eventually said. There was a strange emotion in his voice that Harry couldn't quite pick up, yet he knew it was familiar.

Harry huffed. That was right. He needed to see his tails. He spun around, but could only see that he had more than one. He growled and ran around in circles, trying to count his tails.

When Kai let out a laugh Harry stopped, realising how stupid he must look. He was acting like a dog chasing his own tail! Which he supposed he was doing. Just... more of a fox chasing his multiple tails.

Harry rolled his eyes and sat back on his haunches as Kai continued to smile. This time, it didn't take as much effort for Harry to be able to change back. By the time it ended, Harry was kneeling in from of Kai.

He looked up at Kai expectantly. "Well?" He asked, "how many tails do I have?"

The same expression crossed Kai's face and this time, Harry recognised what it was: awe. Harry shifted uncomfortably. He was all too familiar with that look and he didn't want Kai to act like that.

"Nine," he breathed. Harry blinked. Nine?

"What?" Harry said eloquently.

" _Nine_  tails, Harry! Nine!" Kai exclaimed, leaning forward and placing his hands on Harry's shoulders. His eyes shone with excitement.

"That-that's not possible! I _can't_  have _nine_!" Harry said hoarsely back.

"But you _do_!" Kai said back eagerly. "You do, Harry, and that's so amazing! You're one of the most powerful kitsune out there! Do you even know how rare this is?"

"Of course I do. But..." Harry swallowed. "The thing is... I never wanted to be special. I just-I just wanted to be, well, _normal_. I never asked for this." Harry looked down at his hands. Kai had fallen silent.

"Harry..." Kai began. Harry peeked up through his fringe at him. "I understand that, somewhat. In Japan, it's even more of a big deal if you are a kitsune, mainly because that's where kitsune originated from. So, there are _always_  people asking about what it's like. And there's not really anything you can do about it, can you?"

Harry grimaced in sympathy.

"Well, the thing I'm trying to say is that I've learnt to live with it. And so can you. I mean, honestly, I think you might already have and just learning you have nine tails, you know that there's a new thing that people can gossip about you. But this time, instead of just putting up with it, you can use it to your advantage. You can learn how to harness kitsune magic with control, to be less susceptible to fear of being caged and such. Anyway, you do know that because you're new and inexperienced, even a kitsune with two tails could beat you if they knew significantly more than you on the subject of kitsune magic so you don't need to worry yet about being more powerful than others. And I'm sure that with your heightened ability to flirt," Kai waggled his eyebrows, "you can get more people on your side to whatever cause you have."

"Huh. That's actually good idea," Harry said.

Kai placed a hand on his chest. " _Actually_  a good idea? Why, Harry, you wound me! I think I might just die from your utter meanness!"

Harry snorted. "Meanness?"

Kai grinned and ruffled Harry's hair. "It was the only word I could think of."

Harry smiled back. This was nice. He made a new friend, learned that he was one of the most instinctually powerful kitsune, and knew that he could discover how to be more resistant to basically dying when getting locked up.

...Well, it was nice until he remembered that Dumbledore had locked him up. But, if Harry just tried to ignore that for the moment, he might actually have fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Er, I might have slightly overused the italics here. Oh well. What's done is done. (Let's just ignore the fact that I can go through this anytime I want and change it) 
> 
> Drop a comment and kudos if you liked it and want to see more. <3


	3. With Scarves Of Red Tied 'Round Their Throats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanna know what happens? Well, 'cause I'm such a nice person, I'll tell you. 
> 
> Harry learns to be a kitsune, tries to find his anchor and has fun with the Weasley twins and Umbridge.

Slowly, Harry began to regain his confidence. At first, he was incredibly jumpy and paranoid that someone would drop a cage around him at any moment, but that was fixed when Kai convinced Harry to sleep outside in a tent for a while. That made Harry feel safer because at least it felt like he could immediately turn into a fox and flee if something felt threatening.

(Not that he was a  _coward_ or anything. Just self-preservation.)

Another reason could have been because everyone was fussing over him and wouldn't let him say sorry. Once Harry told his story, many people began to get extremely angry at Dumbledore, which was more than amusing to watch.

Harry told Kai about how he was sure his anchor was in the school. Kai tried to help him search the hiding kitsune out after confirming he could smell the scent of a different kitsune, but to no avail. Harry's anchor remained hidden and unseen, much to Harry's distress.

"Why won't they just show their face?" Harry cried, throwing his hands up in the air.

Kai nodded sympathetically. "He or she must have a good reason not to because they too would smell you as an anchor. It would be extremely difficult to resist, especially since you are a new kitsune." Harry opened his mouth to ask why but Kai elaborated before he could. "New kitsune usually have a stronger scent and it fades over time."

Kai also started giving Harry lessons on being a kitsune. Often, it would be a practical lesson where he would try to teach Harry to stay sharp when locked up or to be able to use kitsune magic on call.

The first time Kai made Harry stand in a cage, he couldn't last more than ten minutes. Kai had been concerned after that to try again, but of course, Harry was too stubborn to be stopped and they kept practising until he could stay in there with a clear head for over forty minutes. Harry still didn't think it was long enough, so he kept trying no matter what.

Sometimes, they had theory lessons too, where Kai would just sit Harry down and tell him about kitsune.

"What you need to know is that kitsune are extremely vulnerable to any love potion, although Amortentia is obviously the most potent one. The thing is, it is essentially impossible for a kitsune to get out from under the influence of Amortentia unless you have an anchor mate. The anchor kitsune is the only one able to break the effect of the potion," Kai said seriously, clasping his hands.

"But my anchor is _hiding_!" Harry burst out, annoyed.

"Well, just carry the Amortentia antidote with you. It only loses its ability to save you once the potion fully takes effect."

Harry huffed but obediently held out his hand for Kai to dropped the vial he had produced from his pocket into.

As he pocketed the vial, Harry heard a sound from the corner of the Gryffindor common room they were currently in.

He laid a hand on Kai's arm and his ears perked up cautiously. "Did you hear that?" He whispered.

Kai's ears flickered around. "No," he replied softly, "but let's go somewhere more private anyway."

Together, they walked to the seventh floor, Harry leading the way.

He paced in front of the blank wall next to the tapestry and repeated three times in his head, _I need a place to study kitsune. I need a place to study kitsune. I need a place to study kitsune._

Kai gasped and Harry opened his eyes. With a grin, Harry opened the wooden door that had just appeared and ushered Kai into the room.

Harry looked around. The room was divided into two sections, one of the halves cosy and welcoming, resembling the Gryffindor commonplace they had just come from, the other half basically bare. Harry deduced that the half with the crackling fire and comfortable armchairs was for discussing things and the other was for practical lessons.

That evening, Harry began learning to control his kitsune magic.

"Kitsune magic is rather unique. You see, most magic is harnessed through either a wand with an incantation, potions, or rituals. Our magic, however, although it does use a wand, is more about _will_. Instead of _saying_  a spell, we kitsune just concentrate on what we want to have done. Of course, that only works with minor things like a wizarding _reparo_ , _expelliarmus_  or _lumos_. If you need to use our type of magic for something stronger, then you have to get multiple kitsune to will the same thing altogether. Though I do think _you_  could probably pull off a really powerful spell yourself," Kai said cheekily.

Harry smacked his arm.

(It was true, though. Harry tried to Conjure something and an extremely annoyed kangaroo appeared. It appeared right on top Harry and Kai died laughing. Harry got him back by Conjuring another one to sit on Kai until he begged for forgiveness, still wheezing with amusement.)

***

"Wands away, please," Umbridge simpered. There was no flurry of movement because no one was foolish enough to bother anymore. After all, every lesson was to be spent just reading the same text.

That was why this time, Harry was going to... change things up a bit. Kai wasn't even here anymore-he had left when he was sure Harry had most things under control, on the promise that he would be back soon-so Harry was on his own for this one.

But... not this lesson. For this, he might just need a little bit of _help_.

"Hello, boys," Harry purred later that night, sidling up to the Weasley twins.

They both arched a brow at each other.

"Well, well, well, Gred-"

"-What do we have here?"

Harry leered up at them. "I'd like to make a most _delicious_  offer. I'm sure you wouldn't be able to resist, not once you've heard it."

Fred gave a little, exaggerated giggle and fanned himself dramatically. "My, my, I fear he's taken my heart! How could we even resist such a tempting offer! What do you say, Forge?"

George brought a finger up to his chin as if contemplating the proposal. "Well..." He drew the word out, "I'm really not sure. It does seem awfully suspicious... After all, we don't actually _know_  what Harry wants from us... but to be honest, whatever it is, I'm sure we'll like it."

"Oh, you two will most _definitely_  like it," Harry said, looking up at them with hooded eyes, his eyelashes fluttering.

"Harry, it's not that we don't trust you, but we might need a little... convincing," Fred said and licked his lips.

Harry smirked and walked his fingers up Fred's chest, pressing their bodies flush against each other. The fingers crept upwards and pressed lightly to his lips, dragging downwards so his mouth fell open slightly.

Harry leaned in close, stretching up on his toes to breath in Fred's ears. The hand touching his lips fell to press against his thorax as Harry steadied himself. He could feel Fred's heartbeat thudding quickly against his palm and Harry gave a lazy smirk.

"Why, _Fred_ , that's no problem at all," he whispered and darted his tongue out to lick against the shell of Fred's ear. His tail waved through the air in a way Harry hoped was appealing and not at all like an overexcited dog.

"Oi!"

Harry turned around and frowned. He was _busy_. He found himself face to face with a decidedly red-faced Ron.

"What is it, Ron?" Harry asked impatiently.

"What makes you think you can just... just _flirt_  with my brothers!" Ron spluttered.

Harry drooped, his ears and tail visibly wilting. He didn't want to lose his friend, no matter how much fun he was having. "I'm sorry, Ron," he muttered. "I didn't think it would disturb you." And he trudged off in the direction of his dorm room.

"Hey, wait!" Ron called after him. He caught up with Harry as he entered their room.

Harry glanced at Ron expectantly.

He hesitated, then spoke. "I didn't mean to offend you, or anything. I guess there's really nothing I can do about you picking up the twins or any other of my siblings. It was just that it was strange for me to see you doing that, you know? It was kind of like seeing your brothers flirting with each other."

Harry beamed. "You think of me as a brother?" No one had ever said that before. Harry internally glowed.

"Of course," Ron replied, his voice inflected in a way that showed that he was puzzled that Harry had ever thought he wasn't.

"Thanks, Ron! Well, if you don't mind, I've got a proposition to finish making," Harry said happily.

"Wait a second! What _is_ your offer anyway?" Ron asked though he now seemed merely curious.

"I was thinking of playing a few pranks on Umbridge. And who better to do that with than the infamous Weasley twins?"

Ron laughed and clapped Harry on the back as he walked out. "Good idea, mate!"

Harry reentered the Gryffindor common room, whistling a happy, carefree tune. He sauntered up to Fred and George, whispering in the corner.

"Look, Harrikins' back!" George said joyfully, reaching out and ruffling Harry's hair.

Harry's eyes drooped close as his fingers stroked passed his ears and sighed in contentment. He had to hold back a purr because even through all of the tutorings Kai had given him, he still wasn't confident enough to test out his restraint in not accidentally making everyone try to molest him.

"So, now that our dear little brother doesn't seem to be interrupting anymore, what about that offer?" Fred broke Harry out of his musings.

Harry grinned. "Well... you know how _Umbridge_  is probably the worst Defence teacher we've ever had?"

Fred and George exchanged glances. "This already sounds good. Go on, Harry. We're listening."

"Okay, so I was thinking we could mess up her life a bit. In, quite simply, pranks."

The twins threw back their heads and roared with laughter. "Why, of course, Harry!" Fred said eagerly. "We've already gotten a few ideas-"

"-But let's hear yours," George finished just as enthusiastically.

"I was thinking maybe..." Harry and the Weasley twins began to discuss prank ideas.

Oh, this was going to be _fun_.

***

Harry bounced in his seat, not able to pay attention at all to the Transfiguration lesson, no matter how hard Hermione prodded him. His ears swivelled and twitched occasionally, straining for sound.

Then it came. A high-pitched scream filtered down from one of the upper floors. Specifically, the upper floor that held the Defence office. Umbridge's office.

McGonagall paused in her lecture then strode to the door, throwing it open. All down the corridor, other doors were opening too.

"What on Earth is happening?" Professor McGonagall asked crossly.

The scream sounded again as McGonagall pulled out her wand, a horrified, ear-splitting sound.

The students all piled out of the classrooms and followed their teachers up the stairs.

Harry suppressed a manic grin as he caught sight of the twins, but allowed himself to give them both a wink which was returned.

By the time he had grabbed Hermione and Ron and dragged them over to Fred and George, they had reached the third floor where everyone had converged at.

Harry pushed forward to see Umbridge standing in front of her office, trembling.

" _Professor_  Umbridge, what seems to be the problem?" McGonagall demanded angrily, but they could see the faint shimmer of amusement in her eyes.

"Toads!" She shrieked hysterically, pointing a shaking finger into the office. "It's full of toads!" Now that she spoke, everyone seemed to begin to hear croaking coming from inside the Defence office.

The whole student body surged forward as one, eager to take a look at what had become of the most hated teacher's office.

Parvati Patil let out a wordless sound of delight. "Oh! It's all... green! And _brown_! And... the toads are _pink_?"

"Let me see, let me see!" "Where are the toads?" "Green? Brown?" "Is there _no_  pink left?" "Good riddance!" The students chattered excitedly, ignoring the way Umbridge was jumping up and down with a look of utter disgust on her face.

Harry threw back his head and laughed once he saw what was inside. He didn't think the twins would go _this_  far.

The whole entire inside of the High Inquisitor's office was entirely green and brown, as Parvati had said. The green, however, wasn't a soft, leafy green, but rather a sickly, dull green, and the brown was a very disgusting shade. But that wasn't all. The entire office was filled with toads. And it was the _entire office_. There seemed to be a barrier holding the toads in place and mostly blocking out the sound because the office was _crawling_ with toads. Every single one of them was a bright pink and each had a black bow sitting on top of their heads, rather much like the one Umbridge was wearing at the moment.

"You!" Umbridge screamed, stabbing a finger at McGonagall who merely raised an eyebrow. "Get rid of these monstrosities at once!"

McGonagall's lip quirked but before she could speak, Harry piped up, eager to be a known part of this drama playing out.

"But Professor, she can't! Don't you remember the educational decree number thirty-one? You stated that-"

"I'm well aware what I declared!" Umbridge interrupted, clearly flustered.

Harry smirked. He knew that was a lie, especially since there _was_  no educational decree number thirty-one that had anything to do with what was going on. In fact, that particular decree forbade boys and girls to be within eight inches of each other. 

In the end, it took Umbridge and Filch the entire morning to clear out the office, especially because every time they tried to Banish, Vanish or use any magic to get rid of them, the toads increased twofold. The whole process had to be done without magic and the time they were trying, all the students were jeering and laughing at them. The professors made no move to help and when demanded, they simply said they couldn't according to 'educational decree thirty-one'.

The next prank Harry played involved only him and Umbridge.

It was during the next Defence lesson that Harry raised his hand and waited for her to call on him.

"Yes, Mr Potter?" She simpered, having regained some of her composure since Harry's last prank (although she did flush and hand out detentions left and right everytime someone croaked in her presence).

"There's something here I don't fully understand," Harry said. Umbridge stood and began walking towards him. Time to initiate stage one. Harry fluttered his eyelashes and lowered his eyes.

"What seems to be the problem? I do believe the text has explained it quite clearly if you have read it properly," she tittered.

"Well, I think it's a bit unclear here. I'm not sure what it really means." Harry scrunched his brow and tilted his head.

Umbridge walked closer. Harry looked up at her with hooded eyes and lowered his voice. "Maybe you could help me?"

Time to test out his kitsune magic. Harry gathered up his magic and pushed it out towards Umbridge. He knew it had worked when her eyes dilated slightly and her breathing came a bit faster.

"I-of course, Mr Potter. What don't you understand?" She asked breathlessly. Harry suppressed the urge to gag as she batted her almost non-existent eyelashes and tried to smile coyly. By now, the entire class was watching the exchange and had seemed to figure out what Harry was doing.

"Why don't we go somewhere more private... like your office?" Harry suggested, forcingly coquettish.

Harry stood up and walked inside, swaying his hips provocatively. The moment Umbridge followed him in, Harry hopped back outside and slammed the door, locking it with a locking charm.

There came a fierce rattling as the door shook. "What is this? Let me out!" Umbridge screamed. The class was roaring with laughter, long since having given up on even _trying_  to concentrate (even Hermione).

Harry jumped over her desk and waved his wand exaggeratedly, Conjuring up a piece of chalk. "Today we're going to be learning how to get rid of annoying and unwanted toads," Harry announced.

"Harry!" Hermione cried, scandalised, but made no move to stop Harry when with a flourish, he wrote _Step One_  on the blackboard.

"Okay. Step one," Harry began, but at that moment, Umbridge finally got the door open and burst out, face red and wand extended.

"Mr Potter!" She shrieked, eyes bulging.

"Step one: Run!" Harry squealed and dashed outside to the corridor, the laughter following him out.

Harry deliberately slowed down as he rounded the corner, letting Umbridge catch up to him.

Immediately, he began struggling and her grip on his shoulder automatically tightened.

Harry drew in a deep breath. "Help!" He screamed, his eyes screwed shut. "Harassment! She's harassing me!"

Umbridge let go of him as if she had been burnt but the damage was already done. Flitwick and Sprout appeared around the corner. Their eyes widened as they took in the scene.

Dumbledore arrived at the moment the other teachers were about to speak. "Dolores? What is going on?" He asked, eyes twinkling as he watched her splutter. "Harassing a student is strictly prohibited, I must have you understand. Therefore, I believe it may be necessary to remove you from the school," he continued gravely.

Harry thought he would die laughing.

Eventually, though, they didn't manage to sack Umbridge. They did, however, convinced the Minister of Magic to make sure they had at least one teacher in any class with Umbridge for a whole week and it was entertaining to watch as they disrupted her lesson plans and turned a blind eye whenever the students did something Umbridge didn't allow them too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This might be the last chapter for like 2 weeks because I'm going to Thailand for an anniversary trip!!!!!!! and will probably have little to no wifi. Also, I've basically run out of prewritten chapters so there's that as well. 
> 
> I'll try to upload, but I can't promise that considering I'll be busy and it'll all be written on a tablet (which is an absolute nightmare) because my laptop is super heavy (why MacBook Pro, why) and runs out of battery in like 5 mins flat (which is why I always keep it connected to the charger).
> 
> Anywayyyyyyy, I hope you've liked this chapter! Pretty please leave a comment and kudos. Pretty please. I am not above begging.
> 
> And I just realised I've been rambling so
> 
> yeah.
> 
> Bye!


	4. To Keep Their Little Heads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Ginny, you little bitch. 
> 
> And, why hello there, Mr Mysterious-Guy-That-Smells-Amazing-To-Harry.

Harry let out a little growl and sat up, going, for the fifth time that night, to the bathroom.

He ran his hands under the tap and smoothed them over his brow. Why couldn't he sleep? He tossed and turned the whole entire night and even after spelling his pillow cool multiple times, he hadn't been able to get a wink of sleep. Every time he did nod off, visions and dreams assaulted his mind of a man laughing, high and cruel, as someone screamed and screamed and screamed...

Maybe... a walk. That would help. It was, after all, probably the stress of having to defeat Voldemort finally getting to him. It would do him some good to have some time to himself.

Harry silently slipped outside and immediately shivered. Maybe it was a good idea to go get a cloak but Harry really didn't want to have to go back inside again.

After a few minutes of walking around in the corridors along, Harry began to think of why he came out in the first place.

Voldemort. Harry didn't remember the time when his life didn't revolve around that monster. He wanted so badly for everyone to just _believe_  him that he had returned. Why didn't they? He felt the burning in his scar, he remembered the night it had happened. The night Cedric had died. How did they explain that, if it hadn't been Voldemort's return? What reason would Harry and Dumbledore have to lie about it?

Harry shook his head and carded his fingers through his hair frustratedly. The reason he had come out was to _forget_  about that, not to think about it more and work himself up. Suddenly, a small shape flickered on the edge of Harry's vision. He whirled around, hand already going to his wand, but nothing was there.

Harry huffed. See, he was starting to _see_  things now, he was that paranoid.

Harry honestly didn't see it coming, to preoccupied with his stupid, little thoughts.

" _Petrificus totalus_!" He heard and when it struck him, Harry toppled over soundlessly, unable to do anything but dart his eyes around at his attacker. Although, that too was also proved useless when he realised his glasses had fallen off when he had.

Something dark moved into his vision.

"Will you come with me, Harry?" The voice was soft and familiar. It was definitely a female, that was for sure.

A snarl built at the back of his throat and escaped through his frozen teeth. There was _no way_  this person was asking if he would come with them; he had just been bloody body-binded by them! He heard a sigh. Harry squinted and a blurry thing moved to point at him.

"I'm sorry, Harry. _Stupefy_."

Harry spiralled helplessly into oblivion.

When he awoke, he found himself tied to a chair securely but no longer frozen in place. (It would have been extremely uncomfortable to have been in that position on a chair.) He looked around and tried to discern where he was. From what he could see, it was empty except for the chair Harry was sitting on, though he couldn't be quite sure.

There came a rustling from Harry's side and someone stepped out of the shadows. Harry blinked.

 _Ginny_?

"Ginny?" He repeated aloud in disbelief.

Because it was. There was no mistaking that fiery red hair. Harry had never really talked to her that much, finding it a bit unsettling how much she appeared to adore him. Now, she was wearing a flowing red dress and she had... Muggle makeup on?

"Harry," she breathed, sidling up to him. Harry struggled against the bonds to get away from her reaching fingers.

"What are you doing, Ginny? If it's Voldemort, you have a choice! You don't have to do what-"

Ginny laid a finger on Harry's lips. She smiled softly. "I didn't do this because of You-Know-Who, Harry. I did this because we belong together. You were meant for me, do you see? I've been trying to convince you, but you hadn't made a move. That's why I'm taking it into my own hands to show you."

Harry recoiled and stared at her. She was crazy. Deluded.

"Gin... You know I'm your friend. But there can be nothing more than that between us."

Ginny laughed breathlessly. "But Harry, you're deceiving yourself. Of course, there can. I've seen the way you talk to me. Even if you haven't asked me out, I can see it in the way you look at me," she said, stroking his cheek.

"No, you're wrong, Ginny. It was all in good fun. I flirt with everyone, see?" Harry said.

Ginny's eyes darkened. "But you flirt _especially_ for me," Ginny said back. "Will you be with me? Will you be my boyfriend, Harry? I know you want to."

Harry shook his head vigorously. "I told you already, we're nothing more than friends and will never be. Please, Ginny, let me go. I'm sorry that I'm not the one for you, but you have someone out there. Like Dean, maybe, he seems interested..." Harry trailed off as he catches Ginny grinning and his eyes narrow suspiciously.

"I thought you would say that. But it's okay, Harry, I can show you how to love me. I heard that conversation with you and... Kai, wasn't it?" Ginny produced a vial of something with a faint mother-of-pearl sheen to it. "Do you know what this is, Harry?" She asked quietly.

Harry shook his head and tried to plead with her again. "Ginny, please, you-"

Ginny shook the vial and ignored him. "This is Amortentia, Harry. The NEWT students were making it, and this was Snape's display vial. Do you know what it does?"

Harry paled. "Ginny," he begged, "Ginny, no, don't! It won't work, it doesn't even create real love!"

"Doesn't it?" Ginny asked as she popped off the cork. She smiled at him. "Open up, Harry."

Harry knew where his antidote was. In his pocket. Of his cloak. His. Cloak. That he left in his room.

Harry swallowed and turned his head away as Ginny held the vial to his lips. "You _bit_ -" The moment Harry opened his mouth, Ginny tipped the contents down his throat.

Harry instinctively swallowed, then realised what he had done and tried to gag it out. Ginny performed a lip-locker charm until Harry swallowed it all down. He had no choice.

He glared at her. How could she _do_ this? How could...

Harry's eyes glazed over slightly. The last thing he saw before the Amortentia took over his system was Ginny's feral grin.

Then, he couldn't think of anything except for _Ginny_. How hadn't he realised how... perfect she was until now? He struggled against the bonds for a whole new reason.

"Ginny," he croaked. "Ginny, let me free."

Ginny smiled and it was the most beautiful thing in the world. "Of course, Harry."

She let the now empty vial slip through her fingers and leant forward to untie the ropes manually. Her fingers brushed against Harry's arm and he tried to lean into it. Even just her touch had him wanting more. Once the ropes fell away, Harry wrapped his arms around Ginny and crushed their lips together.

"You're mine now, aren't you, Harry?" Ginny asked smugly. Harry nodded because what else would he do? It was true. He would do anything, _truly_ anything if it meant making Ginny happy. She was everything to him, now.

Everything.

***

The next morning, Harry announced his and Ginny's relationship. There were many jealous glares directed at Ginny but Harry didn't care, so long as Ginny stayed with him.

After all, he wasn't sure he could live if Ginny left him. Ginny was the only thing that mattered and the only thing that ever would.

Harry and Ginny found themselves kissing after lunch, not that Harry minded. Ginny was an excellent kisser. Well, she was excellent at everything. Just the sight of her sent Harry into a frenzy. Her tongue slid against his in a hot dance and their bodies were pressed against each other intimately.

Suddenly, Harry stiffened and pulled away. He could've sworn he smelled his...

Harry shook himself out of his daze. He _had_ no anchor kitsune. Ginny was the only one for him. The scent was merely one of another kitsune, one that didn't matter to him because he had Ginny.

That night, Ginny sent Harry out to beg food from the elves down in the kitchen. He walked there, humming and thinking about just how _perfect_  Ginny was and how sweet and caring she was to him.

Later, Harry would think that he should probably go and get training on how to be more alert because it was the second time in two days that Harry got caught in an empty corridor (not that he minded the first time-it was _Ginny)._

Harry's arm was grabbed and he was yanked into a broom closet. He felt himself being pressed against another body, but he couldn't move because the space was too small.

His breathing was starting to come faster. _Please, don't let me be trapped again, please-_

"Oh, right," a voice whispered right next to his ear, and then the voice whispered something and a kitsune scent that was not Harry's filled the space.

Harry couldn't help but close his eyes and breathe it in because, _Merlin,_ it smelt amazing and he just wanted to bury his face into the source of the scent because it was just delicious and-

_No!_

He was Ginny's boyfriend. He was Ginny's boyfriend. This was no way to be acting.

"Get away from me!"

"I'm afraid that's not quite possible right now," the person replied, amused. Now, Hary could tell that this person was most definitely a male. Their voice was smooth like velvety chocolate and had a slight hint of an accent that Harry couldn't quite place.

"Let me out! What do you want with me?" Harry shrieked. That gave him an idea. He drew in a breath and parted his lips to scream when a warm, calloused hand covered his mouth.

"Shh, Harry. Let me ask you something and I swear you can go. I'm not keeping you a prisoner here, I promise," the mysterious male replied fluidly.

Harry relaxed despite himself when his anchor _-no,_ just a _random kitsune-_ brushed his fingers over Harry's ears as if he had known it would calm him. Still, he tensed up at the next words.

"Do you know what Amortentia is?"

"Of course I do," Harry snaps back. "I carry an antidote on me at all times." After a pause, Harry continued, regardless of the fact that he might have sounded a little rude. "Who are you, anyway? What gives you the right to shove me in a broom closet of all things and play twenty questions with me?"

"You've been dosed with it."

Harry closed his mouth with an audible snap and squinted into the darkness. His heart had slowed down a bit, though he was still strongly aware that he was trapped in a small, tight space but the fear was muffled as if the mere presence of the other kitsune suppressed the terror.

"Excuse me? Are you suggesting that _you_  have done so? Well, it's not working. Either you've brewed it wrong or-"

The other kitsune cut in slickly. "I mean that your so-called girlfriend is the one who has poisoned you."

Harry recoiled. "What," he said flatly.

"It happened last night, didn't it? She made you drink it, didn't she? What did she do? Force you against the wall? Tie you to the chair? She molested you, Harry. She-"

"Stop!" Harry yelled. "Why would she want to do that? I love her already. She knows that."

A gentle sigh sounded near Harry's ear. "But did you love her before? Do you remember?"

Harry hesitated. He couldn't remember his life before Ginny that well. But he _knew_  that he did love Ginny already. He just... hadn't made a move. Maybe he just hadn't realised he was in love with her.

"Yeah," Harry lied. "Of course I loved her before."

"You're wrong, Harry. You didn't and now, the only reason you do is that of the potion. I need you to fight it, Harry. Ginny never meant anything to you before, remember? She fed you Amortentia and now you're under the enchantment."

"No."

"Yes. What did she do to you last night?"

"Nothing."

"Are you sure? Won't you tell me, Harry?"

"Shut up! She didn't do anything! We just went into a classroom and... and then she gave me something to drink and then I kissed her!"

 _"Ah._ And what did she give you to drink?"

"I-I don't know, water, I suppose?"

"Wrong again, Harry. The correct answer is Amortentia. The most potent love potion."

"You're _wrong._ Let me out of here. I love her, she loves me and that's all there is to it."

"Is that so?"

Something touched Harry's face. Harry gasped. He really couldn't help it. The moment the thing brushed his cheek, sparks and fire sizzled. A moan made his way up his throat and he leaned in for more. The warm, soft thing moved up to entwine in his hair and fondle his ears. The fire followed and it felt so _good._ Another came up to cup his jaw. Harry finally recognised them as hands.

"Doesn't that feel good, Harry?"

Harry whimpered and nudged into the fluttering fingers.

"Why do you think you feel this?" The kitsune continued. Harry didn't have an answer. He didn't know.

"It's because I am your _anchor_  and you are mine. Can you feel it? You know it's true."

"What?" Harry asked suddenly, trying to pull back. "No! I don't need one! I've got Ginny!"

"Are you sure?" He purred. Harry nodded frantically. The fingers curled gently around his ears. Harry closed his eyes and mewled in response. How could he not? "Then why do you act this way? If you believe _Ginevra Weasley_ is truly the one for you?"

"I-I..." Harry froze because he was _right._ A feeble idea popped up in his mind. "Maybe... maybe _you_  were the one that drugged me! I bet you're the one who actually made me drink Amortentia!" But even to his own ears, it was weak and vaguely plausible at most.

Either this enigmatic kitsune actually believed him or was humouring him for Harry's sake (it was probably the latter) because he sighed and dropped his hands.

"I'm not going to force you to stay. But just think about it, okay?"

There is a swish of a thin object through the air and the door swung open. Harry tumbled out and immediately turned to run away.

"Oh, and by the way," the same voice called out after him, "I ask you not to tell your _girlfriend_  of this. Wouldn't want you two to fall out, do we?"

Harry ran.

When he got back, Ginny absently asked where he was. Harry said he went to the kitchen like she asked. Ginny looked up momentarily to stare at him in confusion before brightening.

"That's right!" She said. Even though she barely paid attention to him then, Harry still glowed when he sees her smile. "So did you get anything?"

Harry blinked. No, he didn't. He was too distracted by that... stalker. "I'm sorry, Ginny," he said miserably.

Ginny scowled. Harry shrank back in shame.

"How are you supposed to be a good boyfriend if you can't even get me food?" The other girls sitting around Ginny laughed at him with her. "Why did you take so long, anyway, if you didn't even get food?"

Harry opened his mouth but hesitated. "I forgot. I went for a walk instead." For some reason, he found himself unwilling to reveal what happened.

Ginny scoffed. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Harry felt the first stirrings of doubt creep up on him but he shoved it back down and did what Ginny said. He loved Ginny. He loved Ginny.

For some reason, he had to keep repeating that mantra to himself all through the night.

***

Harry couldn't help walking past the broom closet multiple times that day. He tried to convince himself that it was only so that if he found the kitsune again, he could confront him on the night before. He wouldn't, _couldn't_  let himself think that it was because, perhaps, he was... hoping for Mr Mysterious Kitsune to show up.

The fifth time Harry walked past, a hand shot out and pulled him into the dark closet.

Harry could hear his own breathing loud in the otherwise expectant silence. A chuckle sounded and an arm wrapped around Harry's waist, pulling him against the other body.

"Eager, are we?"

Harry flushed and shook his head, before remembering that he couldn't be seen and repeated the sentiment aloud. "I just want to talk," he said lamely, "about what happened. And why."

Harry squirmed when his breath tickled his ear. "Uh..." he stuttered, "so..."

"Right!" The other kitsune laughed quietly. "You wanted to talk about things, Harry?"

"Er, yeah. Um... what makes you think I'm under-I mean I _could be_ under the influence of the potion?" Harry could almost hear the smirk that followed.

"Well for one, you aren't flirting with anyone. I know for a fact that you often do flirt and fool around-I've seen you from across the Great Hall."

Harry flushed. "You watch me?"

"I _love_  watching you eat. The way that you lick your spoon just so..." Harry sensed the kitsune lean down and then something wet and long wiggled into his ear.

Harry gave a strangled yelp and his head smashed back against the wall in an automatic attempt to try and get away. God, was that his _tongue_?

"What the fuck?" He squeaked.

"Sorry, darling. I forget myself sometimes when I'm around you," the other kitsune purred, sounding not the least bit apologetic.

"I... just don't," Harry replied as crossly as he could and glared into the darkness, ignoring the way his heart was pounding because that was his goddamn _tongue._ In his _ear,_ no less. "And anyway, I could've stopped flirting because I just didn't feel like it these past few days."

"I sincerely doubt that, Harry. Because I've also noticed you only have eyes for the Weasley girl. And surely, as a kitsune, I know that we are only fully faithful to our anchors. And ourselves. And I see you attending to her every whim. So obviously, she has you drinking Amortentia," the kitsune finished confidently.

Harry's embarrassed mood vanished instantly and his ire at the kitsune returned. "She doesn't! I just love her a lot!" Harry denies furiously.

The other kitsune made an amused sound. "It was you who brought it up, Harry."

Harry floundered around for a moment before changing the subject. "If I'm under the influence of Amortentia, how come I get all weird around you?"

There was a silence. Harry waited for the other kitsune to speak, but he didn't. Suddenly, Harry groaned.

Oh. Well, he was stupid.

"You do realise you just-"

"Yes, yes, I know. So what? I can think that you're kinda hot, it doesn't make me love Ginny less."

"I really don't think that's a problem, Harry. In fact, I'm glad that you go all... _weird_ around me. It just proves that I am your anchor."

"You're not my anchor and I'm not yours!" Merlin, wouldn't the other kitsune ever learn?

"Is that right?"

Harry squeaked. The kitsune had leaned down and he had breathed right into Harry's ear. Despite Harry trying not to, he remembered how the other male had stuck his tongue in Harry's ear. Harry shivered helplessly and the kitsune huffed softly in amusement as if he knew what Harry was thinking.

"Is that right?" He repeated.

Harry flinched away from the low voice but the other kitsune must have moved with him because his lips brushed against Harry's ear. Harry's breath hitched against his will.

The lips moved down to ghost along Harry's neck and Harry swallowed back an unwanted moan. God, somehow, it felt so much better than when Ginny touched him. Harry involuntarily thunked his head back again, baring his throat to the kitsune. A low keening sound built up from inside Harry's chest. Harry's eyelids fluttered.

"Don't you want this, Harry?" He asked, sultrily, coyly.

Harry could only groan in response. The other kitsune mouthed at his neck patiently.

Suddenly, Harry jerked back. His eyes flew open again.

"No!" He yelled, placing his hands on the other's chest and shoving him away. "No, no, no, _no_."

The other kitsune laughed, unconcerned. "I'll show you soon enough, Harry," he murmured before darting forward and pecking Harry roguishly on his lips. The door swung open and the kitsune brushed past as Harry blinked the light from his eyes. When he could see again, the kitsune was gone.

But the thing was, Harry couldn't stop thinking if the kitsune was right. Maybe... Ginny wasn't for him. Maybe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thailand was amazing, if a bit hot. As much fun as it was, I'm glad to be back where there's reliable and quick internet. 
> 
> It was really fun writing this chapter, but I'm still not really quite happy with it, but oh well. :( Maybe later I'll try and fix it up later. But anyhow, I hope you liked it!
> 
> Kudos! Comment! Constructive criticism if it's worded nicely!
> 
> Peace out


	5. From Falling in the Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry learns the truth about Ginny (finally).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to [BiddiBiddiJJ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BiddiBiddiJJ).
> 
> They are so aboslutely amazing and supporting, I love you!!! I hope you like this chapter, as short as it is.

"Hey Gin, I'm gonna go back to our tower, okay?" Harry said, standing up. He bent down to peck Ginny on the lips, but she waved him away irritably.

"But Harry," she whined, "I haven't finished my breakfast, yet."

Harry smiled gently down at her because no matter how much doubt there was at the moment in Harry, he still found Ginny rather endearing.

"We can meet up in the common room later, we've got all day."

Ginny's eyes narrowed but she merely sniffed and turned dismissively back to her food. Harry felt a flash of hurt and decided to just get out of there.

Even though he thought that to himself, he couldn't resist the impulse to make a subtle jab at Ginny as he walked past the Slytherin table. He saw two of the Slytherin girls he had seen in his Potions class staring at him. So obviously, he winked. He _was_  a kitsune, after all. The girls giggled and blushed.

Of course, Harry didn't account for what happened next. As he tried to walk past, Draco Malfoy, of all people stood up.

"Can I help you?" Harry asked politely.

"Help me? As if you could help anyone, lest _me_ ," Malfoy sneered. He took a step forward and jabbed a finger at Harry's chest, who stumbled back, bewildered. "What gives you the right to flirt with them?"

"Um..." Harry blinked. "It's what I do. It doesn't even really mean anything."

" _Doesn't mean anything?_ You can't just flirt with my betrothed!" Malfoy hissed.

"Well... it's not as if I knew," Harry drawled back. He looked up at the professor's table. Dumbledore was in the process of standing up. "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to leave now."

He stepped casually around Malfoy. His mouth twisted uglily but he let Harry walk past.

Before Harry could walk out, Malfoy called out. "You're a freak, you know that?"

Harry froze. Slowly, he turned around. "What?" He asked quietly. Malfoy grinned victoriously.

"I know why you're a kitsune. It's because otherwise, no one would even look twice at you. Because you're a _freak_."

Harry flinched and stumbled back, stricken.

_No, no I'm not,_ he thought desperately. He didn't realise he had said it aloud until Malfoy sniffed and smirked.

"Yes, you are, _Potter._ You're a freak. A stupid, worthless _freak._ Even your girlfriend doesn't like you."

"That's enough, Mr Malfoy," Dumbledore said finally but Harry had already turned around.

A sob escaped from between his lips and he stared at Ginny. And Ginny... she didn't even look like she _cared._

Harry stared at her. She spared a glance at him and smiled distractedly before turning back to her friends. Like she hadn't even noticed what had been going on. Harry fled blindly from the Hall, tears blurring his vision.

He went to the first safe place that came to his mind, the Room of Requirements (and what did it say that it wasn't the Gryffindor common room, where he and Ginny hung out the most?). He paced back and forth, thinking, _I need a safe place where no one can find me. I need a safe place where no one can find me. I need a safe place where no one can find me. No one but Ginny._

When he focussed on the wall next to the tapestry again, there was a simple arched wooden door in front of him that wasn't there before. Harry's breath left him in a whoosh and he reached for the handle wildly.

He entered into a cozy, comfortable room. There were two stuffed armchairs facing a warm, crackling fire, the only light in the room.

Harry ignored the chairs and flung himself into one of the corners of the room. He drew his legs up and hunched in around himself. It was then that Harry finally let his tears finally flow freely. He stuffed his fist into his mouth to stifle the sobs, mostly out of habit more than anything.

He couldn't help his mind flickering to the memories of the Dursley's. Back when they weren't scared of things like his magic or Dumbledore or Sirius.

_Freak_! They had called him. They had sneered down at him as he cowered behind the broken glass or the burnt food or the dirty stains that he couldn't get off no matter how hard he tried. _Dirty, useless, good-for-nothing freak!_ And when he had shown accidental magic... that was worst. They had let Dudley and his friends bully him, turning a blind eye everytime he had come home bloody or bruised. _You disgusting freak! Clean up the blood you're leaving behind._

Harry shuddered and buried his head between his legs.

"'m sorry," he sobbed to no one in particular. He hiccuped but uncurled.

_Ginny will come. Ginny will come for me, I know it._

So Harry waited. And waited. And... waited.

Ginny didn't come. Ginny didn't care. Ginny didn't love him.

The realisation hit Harry in the face hard, so hard Harry felt like it would snap his head back. His eyes went wide and he took in a deep, shuddering breath. His hand flew up to his mouth, trying in vain to stifle his whimper.

God, he thought... he thought she loved him. He thought she would come for him. Boy, was he wrong.

With that thought, Harry's walls came crashing down. Once the sobs started, he couldn't stop them if he tried.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid. Thinking she actually cared for you. Thinking she would love a freak like you._

Harry didn't realise the door opening quietly until he heard footsteps quietly. Harry hiccuped and raised his head. He couldn't see the person in the dim, flickering light of the fire.

"Ginny?" He asked weakly, hopefully. He pushed himself up onto his knees so he was kneeling. It _had_  to be Ginny; she was the only one that Harry had said could come in! He _knew_  she didn't abandon him, he knew she-

"I'm sorry, Harry." It wasn't Ginny's voice. Vaguely, he connected it to the voice from the broom closet, but he just slumped down and rubbed at his eyes.

Then a hand reached down to touch his shoulder. Harry looked up and froze.

_What the fuck?_

His anchor was Blaise fucking Zabini??

***

Eventually, Harry stopped gaping long enough to actually formulate a question in his mind.

"How did you get in?" Harry asked, trying to stifle his sniffles. _Pathetic_.

Zabini shrugged and crouched down in front of Harry, his hand still rested on Harry's shoulder. It was strange now, seeing Zabini with orange ears and a tail, when those few times Harry had seen him, his scent was just like a normal human's and there were no kitsune features in sight. "Sometimes, because us kitsune have a different way of harnessing magic, our magic can override normal wizarding spells. I figured that you would come here and when I called up the door it just led me in."

Harry sighed and turned away miserably. What was the point of this? Why had he come? Who would come for a freak like him?

Another hand descended on Harry's other shoulder and he flinched automatically. "You are not a freak," Zabini said loudly, angrily and Harry realised he had said it out loud. Harry looked at him silently while Zabini glared furiously back.

Harry shrank back. See, he couldn't even get another kitsune to like him. "Sorry," Harry whispered. Merlin, he hated how hopeless he sounded, yet he couldn't stop sounding that way. "Sorry," he said again, trying to curl up on himself. He didn't quite manage it because Zabini was still holding on to his shoulders, though his grip relaxed slightly when Harry apologised.

"Why?" Zabini asked in a much gentler voice.

Harry blinked at him, confused.

Zabini scowled for a moment, though it didn't seem to be directed at Harry. "You are not a freak!" He repeated again, eyes glittering fiercely. "You are reckless and rash and too damn noble for your own good. But you are brave and clever, though most don't see it. You are strong and funny and beautiful, made even more so when you became a kitsune. You, Harry, are. Not. A. Freak."

Harry stared dumbly. Then he dropped his eyes. "But I am," Harry mumbled. "Ginny didn't come."

A hand grasped his chin and tenderly tilted his chin up. Harry swallowed with a nearly audible click. "You don't _need_  her though, Harry. It's honestly her loss that she didn't come for you. But it's okay," Zabini continued quickly, seeing Harry's face despite his attempts at condolences," that's why I'm here. That's why I'm your anchor."

Harry swallowed. He really, really didn't want to get his hopes up...

"Do you see it now, Harry?" Zabini said softly. "How the Weasley girl has you under her thumb with the help of Amortentia? How all you are feeling for her is artificial?"

Harry bit his lip. Some part of him still held stubbornly to the notion that he still loved Ginny and Ginny loved him.

Was it the Amortentia? It was probably the Amortentia. But... _was_  there even Amortentia? Why should he trust Zabini on this?

But the thing was, if Ginny loved him, she would've come looking for him, right?

Harry's throat was dry. He was almost afraid to ask but... "Did she ever really love me? I mean, did she ever really care?" He grimaced internally when he realised how pathetic he must have sounded.

Zabini shook his head apologetically. "I don't think so, no."

Harry slumped.

(Since when did he start trusting what Zabini said? Since when did his word become truth to Harry?)

Harry looked up and Zabini's hand came up to cup his cheek. Harry shivered helplessly in return, though he did manage not to lean in (much).  
  
"But," Zabini resumed, thumb stroking Harry's cheek, " _I_ care. And why would you need her, when you have me?"

And what else could Harry have said but yes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter sucked. It's gonna be the last one for a while (sorry) because my muse has ran away and I have no prewritten material left. It could be as long as a month until the next, so if I don't update in a while, I haven't left this story, I'm just writing more and better chapters (hopefully).
> 
> I'd love to see what you think of this, so kudos and comment!


	6. And I Turned 'Round And There You Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ginny and Harry and Blaise and Dumbledore and McGonagall and Snape. I think that's about it. Yeah, there's not much going on this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY NUMBER ONE I am so so so so sorry for taking so long to update. My life this past month has been way more hectic than expected and I barely had time to work on this. I'm still pretty frazzled but I wanted to get another chapter up. This chapter kind of sucks because I didn't know what to write. Still, I hope you'll read and enjoy it.
> 
> Warning for a bit of uh... lead in to smut, I guess?? I don't write smut though (coz I suck at it), so it's mostly just my boys rubbing against each other and kissing. If you want to skip that, it's near the start and you can continue reading at '"We should probably go," Blaise murmured, grinning.' 
> 
> Also, both Harry and I tend to dramatise things frequently so... just read it. >.<

  
"We have to tell Dumbledore," Blaise said.

"About Ginny?" Harry asked, craning his head back as Blaise stood up.

"About Ginevra," Blaise confirmed, reaching down to pull Harry up as well.

Blaise didn't let go of Harry's hand, however, and Harry flushed but didn't pull his hand out.

(It was nice that someone actually _wanted_  to hold his hand.)

With a soft smile, Blaise pulled Harry to the door, but Harry hesitated before they could step outside. A thought had just occurred to him.

"Does anyone know about you being, you know, a kitsune? Don't you want to... do whatever you did to hide your ears and tail?"

Blaise shrugged. "I don't mind, now. Not that I have you. And anyway, I don't doubt the teachers already know. They most likely have means of finding out and such. I just didn't want it getting out to the students."

Harry blushed again and tilted his head up. (It was sappy, he knew, but he just _couldn't help it_.) Blaise smiled softly down at him and _god,_ what would've happened if Blaise wasn't there to save him?

Blaise leaned down slightly.

(And when did he start becoming Blaise and not Zabini to him?)

And then Blaise's mouth touched his.

And this, _this_  was what Harry was missing out on. It was like... it was like _fireworks._ It was like sparks were flying between them, like bursts of fire. Blaise's hands came up to entwine in Harry's hair and Harry let out a groan and brazenly darted his tongue out to brush against his lips. Blaise growled in response, pulling Harry even closer. Harry didn't resist. (How could he, when his brain wasn't even responding?)

 _"Blaise,"_ Harry managed to get out in between strangled moans. Blaise rubbed against him, smirking into the kiss and _Merlin,_ he was hard as a fucking rock.

Harry pulled back with a sudden gasp. This _really_  wasn't the time to be doing this.

Blaise laughed slightly and Harry couldn't look away. He could drown in those brown, brown eyes. People said his eyes were beautiful, but had they ever seen _Blaise's?_ And god, he looked so debauched with his pleasure-blown eyes and red, swollen lips, parted as he panted and clutched Harry close to him.

"We should probably go," Blaise murmured, grinning.

Harry shook his head slightly to clear his mind. "Uh, yeah," Harry replied and Blaise grabbed his hand again. Harry smiled. (He seemed to be doing that a lot, lately.) "I... I want to talk to Ginny, first. Before we go to Dumbledore."

Blaise frowned but sighed fondly. "It's not like I can stop you. And I suppose it's a good idea to tell her you've broken up. I, for one, would like to see her face when she realises her Amortentia has stopped working."

Harry let Blaise lead him to the Gryffindor common room. When they got there, Blaise kissed Harry chastely and stepped back.

"I'll wait out here, okay? I mean, I'd love to go in, but I have a feeling I would not be welcome considering I'm _such_  a slimy Slytherin and neutral in the war. Even if I'm the Chosen One's boyfriend, there's no way they're going to accept me invading their space."

Harry tilted his head questioningly and tried to ignore the warm buzz that came when Blaise called him his boyfriend. "You're of neutral standing? Can we talk about that when I get back?"

"Yes, darling," Blaise said and Harry snorted.

 _Darling._  Well, that's a first.

When Harry walked in, all conversation stopped. Well, _most_  conversations stopped.

Ginny's was one that didn't.

Harry felt a rage begin to boil up inside him. Didn't she care that her boyfriend had just gone missing for god know how long?

"Oh, hi, Harry," she said absently, going straight back to her conversation.

Harry stormed over and stood there, just glaring at her until she finally looked up.

Ginny sighed, clearly irritated. "Can't you see that I'm busy? What do you want?"

"Busy?" Harry echoed incredulously. "As far as I can see, all you're doing is talking to your friends."

Ginny opened her mouth to speak but Harry beat her to it.

"You talk about me not being a good boyfriend for not tending to all your needs, but have you looked at yourself? Do you want to know my definition of busy? Busy would be searching all over the school for me since you _saw_  me leave the Great Hall this morning the way I did. I just spent hours by myself, convinced that you would find me and when you didn't, well, it just seems like you don't care about me."

Ginny looked imploringly at him. "But of course I care, Harry! I care so much about you, you know that. I really was... busy."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Busy doing what? Gossiping?" He asked sarcastically.

Ginny blushed (and once, Harry would've found that endearing). "You're not supposed to argue with me!" She exclaimed, cheeks beginning to bloom as red as her hair.

"Why's that?"

"Because... because that's what a good boyfriend does," Ginny replied, flustered.

Harry shook his head. He really had no idea _how_  he had thought Ginny was perfect before. Okay, sure, it was the Amortentia. Harry was infinitely grateful for Blaise being his anchor, now.

"You know what, Ginny? We are over. If you can't even bother to look for me, why should I bother to look after you?"

Ginny went an even darker shade of red and stood up.

"Shut up!" She cried hysterically.

"Or what?" Harry taunted. "Why do I have to listen to you?"

And then...

 _There we go_ , Harry thought smugly.

"Because you're supposed to be under my love potion!" She screamed finally.

The room was silent, but for Ginny's furious panting. (Or more silent anyway-it had been quiet once their argument had started.)

Ginny's eyes widened. "No..." she whispered, "I didn't mean it like that-I just..." Ginny swallowed as all the eyes in the room settled on her, silent and judging. She deflated, probably knowing it was useless to argue, now.

Harry shot her a smirk and turned to stalk out.

Ginny's shriek stopped him in his tracks. "You couldn't have thrown it off! It-It's impossible! I heard what he said!"

"Did you really?" Harry's eyebrow arched. "Well, then you either didn't hear all of it, or you heard wrong. Now, I'm going to go back to my _boyfriend._  (Boyfriend!) You can try and deny this to Professor Dumbledore, but personally, I don't think he'll be convinced."

Harry stalked out as dramatically as he could.

(He even managed to put a little flare and billow in his robes the way Snape effortlessly did.)

Well, he tried to, at least. The moment he swept outside, he bumped into a hard chest.

"Ow," Harry said eloquently. A warm, familiar presence surrounded him, as did secure arms.

Harry looked up with a dopey grin, into liquid chocolate eyes.

"How did it go?"

"Well, we broke up, and then she went ahead and outed herself to all of Gryffindor."

Blaise chuckled, delighted. "Want to go out her to Dumbledore as well?"

"Oh, _would_  I," Harry purred, his eyes going heavy-lidded and laughed.

***

"So you are saying that Ms Weasley forced you to drink Amortentia, the most powerful love spell in existence and had you under the effects of it until your anchor mate revealed himself and broke the enchantment?" Dumbledore steepled his fingers, looking over his glasses seriously at them. "You do realise that this is a very serious accusation, yes?"

Harry swallowed and glanced over at Blaise. He nodded at him and Harry met Dumbledore's grim look determinedly.

"Yes, sir. We can give you the memories of it if it helps."

"I believe we shall require company for this next part then," Dumbledore replied. He stood and made his way over to the fireplace.

He threw a handful of Floo powder into the crackling fire and called, "Minerve McGonagall."

"Albus," Professor McGonagall said when her head appeared in the flame.

"Minerva, my dear!" Dumbledore exclaimed joyfully, spreading his hands. "I was wondering if you would be partial to participating in a memory viewing? I do think it is rather important."

McGonagall smiled wryly. "You say that everytime Albus, and last time you only wanted me to come and watch Fawkes get reborn."

Blaise and Harry shared an amused grin.

"That _was_  extremely important, my dear girl. And if it appeases you, it is about Harry."

McGonagall's face smoothed out and her eyes grew serious instantly. "Of course, Albus. I'll be over in a minute."

"Would you bring Severus as well?"

"Of course," McGonagall said, but Harry could see her lips thinned minutely. Dumbledore beamed at her and ended the Floo call.

After a few minutes, a knock on the door came and the two professors walked in, Snape looking as sour as ever and McGonagall as severe as ever, though the lines around her eyes softened when she saw Harry. None of them looked surprised at Blaise having fox ears and a tail, which just proved that they already knew.

(Snape's face didn't change, but if anything, his scowl became more irritable and his glare more intense than before.)

"What is this about, old man? I have potions to make," Snape sneered and Harry automatically scowled (it was a reflex, every time he heard that tone). Blaise however, just reached out and grabbed his hand, rubbing his thumb against the back of Harry's hand soothingly.

Snape's eyes widened and they flickered down to their joined hands.

"And here I was, thinking you were with that dreaded Weasley brat," Snape commented dryly, before refocussing his attention on Dumbledore.

"Well?" He demanded.

Dumbledore looks serenely around. "Something very serious has been brought to my attention, but I somewhat question the validity of the claim. Therefore, we need to view a memory."

"Of what? Of Potter not getting top marks in Defence Against the Dark Arts? What a pity."

Harry took a deep breath.

"Ginny had me under Amortentia," he said quietly, then ducked his head to hide on Blaise's shoulder.

There was utter silence, broken only by Fawkes raising his head and giving a questioning chirp. That was what broke McGonagall and Snape out of it.

Snape turned to Dumbledore.

"I suppose this is why you called us here? To see whether this wild claim is true and is in fact not _yet another_  cry for attention?"

Dumbledore twinkled. "Indeed! What a clever deduction, Severus!"

Harry tried not to snicker. He knew Dumbledore probably didn't mean it in a sarcastic way but...

McGonagall spoke before Snape could make a shart retort at Harry, as it looked like he was gearing up to do. "Shall we watch it, then?"

"Very well. Harry, my boy, if you wouldn't mind just concentrating on the memories you would like us to view, yes, just like that... And I'll just place my wand to your temple and-" Harry opened his eyes to see a silver strand of substance pull away from his temple and hang from Dumbledore's wand before he shook it into the Pensieve.

"Shall we?" Dumbledore asked calmly, his face not betraying any other emotion than the serenity that always seemed to sit on his features.

As one, the three professors bent over the Pensieve and entered the memories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry for how short this chapter was. And about how terrible the kiss was. I can't write romance well :/
> 
> Would absolutely love it if you took a bit of time to comment and I'll take a bit of my time to reply :) Comments and kudos make my fucking day. 
> 
> The next chapter might also take a while, BUT I SWEAR IT WON'T TAKE AS LONG AS THIS DID. Two weeks max (or at least I'll try). 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	7. And, Michael, You Would Fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy  
> kudos  
> comment  
> thanks
> 
> (sry it super short)

When they resurfaced, their faces were all collectively pasty and their eyes narrowed.

Blaise and Harry turned away from each other to look at their professors as they stood there in apparent shock.

Dumbledore sank heavily into his gilded chair as the other two Hogwarts teachers Conjured their own.

Harry swallowed and shifted as he looked at them in turn. Dumbledore's face was grim as he steepled his fingers and looked down at his desk in apparent thought. His eyes were sombre, for once. Professor McGonagall and Snape looked at each other in silent agreement, which was a rarity in itself and the fact that there was no goddamn _twinkle_  in Dumbledore's eyes just proved the fact that this problem was more serious than Blaise and Harry had thought.

"We'll have to take this to the Ministry," Dumbledore murmured grimly.

"Like with the Wizengamot? As in, making her have a trial for this?" Blaise said, speaking up for the first time since Harry and he had entered Dumbledore's office.

Dumbledore glanced down towards their still adjoined hands and smiled gently, the lines around his eyes fading somewhat. "Exactly, Mr Zabini." Then, he turned to face McGonagall who was watching the exchange silently, a faint, fond smile on her face even as they could see her eyes calculating things about what she had just witnessed. "Minerva, my dear, if you would be so kind to fetch Miss Weasley for us?"

"Very well," McGonagall replied. Then, she stood up and stalked outside, her body language one that promised things (and not _good_  things per se) to the person she was going to see. In fact, to Harry, it looked rather like when in her Transfiguration classes someone wasn't paying attention.

Once she had left, there was an awkward silence for a minute as Dumbledore closed his eyes behind his spectacles, Snape glared at nothing and everything in particular and Blaise and Harry stared at each other.

"Oh, dear me, pardon my manners!" Dumbledore exclaimed suddenly. To his credit, Snape didn't startle (although the boys did, jumping away from each other like they had been caught doing something they weren't supposed to be doing) and rather swung his head around to glower at Dumbledore who either didn't realise or ignored it. "How rude of me to not offer you a seat. Please, sit," he said and Conjured the two of them a squishy couch which they sat down on. Harry would've sworn that when they sat, Dumbledore deliberately shrunk the sofa slightly smaller so they were more pressed against each other, but what did he know?

By the time this was over, the door swung open silently. All eyes in the room zeroed in on the figures inside the doorway.

McGonagall stepped inside briskly and when she turned her body, they could see Ginny standing nervously in front of the Deputy Headmistress. The grip on her shoulder was hard and unyielding as far as Harry could see.

Despite himself, he found himself curling closer to Blaise for comfort, because _this was the girl who force-fed him Amortentia._

The moment Ginny saw Harry, she burst into tears.

"I'm s-so sorry, Harry!" She wailed, burying her face in her hands. McGonagall merely sniffed, unimpressed and pushed her closer to Dumbledore's desk. Dumbledore himself was solemn and cold, sitting straight-backed in his chair and staring deeply at Ginny.

Snape scoffed and a look of utter distaste crossed his features before he swept out of the room.

"I swear I didn't mean it, I-I didn't mean to go this far! I just really, really wanted you to notice me!"

"Regardless of your reasoning, Miss Weasley, you will not be excused from your crime. The act of making someone fall in love with you by a love potion is seen as poisoning and a very serious offence," McGonagall said stiffly, finally releasing Ginny's shoulder. She stepped back as Ginny looked stricken, crossing her arms behind her back.

"What... what's going to happen to me? It wasn't on purpose, really," Ginny hurriedly said, eyes darting around.

"I'm afraid that this will have to be brought to the Wizengamot and you will have to be put on trial," Dumbledore admitted. "I believe that Professor Snape has in fact just left to inform the Ministry of this."

Ginny paled. "But-but I'm still I child! I still go to Hogwarts, I'm not of age yet. Doesn't that mean I can't go to Azkaban? Please!"

Dumbledore shook his head, but his expression held no pity. "You misunderstood me. The biggest thing that could happen to you right now since you, according to Ministry laws, did not risk somebodies life and therefore there will be no chance of you going to Azkaban. However, since this is the Boy-Who-Lived that you harmed and that you are from a pureblood family and therefore expected to know rules of what you can and cannot do as a wizard, the consequences will be quite severe. And then there is the fact that you also used Amortentia, the most potent love potion known. There is a high possibility of you being suspended or even expelled from Hogwarts because of your action. At the very least, you will receive a heavy fine. I will do my best to try and minimize the punishment, but there's not much I can do."

Desperately, Ginny looked around, her eyes pleading (but Harry felt no pity for her). Her attention zoned in on Blaise. With a trembling hand, she pointed at him accusingly.

"It didn't work anyway! I mean, if he's with that Slytherin, it couldn't have worked!"

Dumbledore answered just as Harry was opening his mouth to do so. "From what I have learned and witnessed, although I don't know all of it, I believe that the reason Harry is no longer feeling the effects of the Amortentia has something to do with how Mr Zabini is part of this."

Suddenly, somebody knocked on the door, two hard raps, harsh and severe. The door flew open and banged on the door before Dumbledore could answer and Harry counted five wizards, not including Snape rush in as well as Molly and Arthur Weasley.

Mrs Weasley rounded on Ginny instantly. "What is the meaning of this, young woman?" She shrieked. Harry winced. He wouldn't want to be on the end of _that._

Ginny, eyes wide and lip trembling, stumbled back.

"Now now, Molly, I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding..." Arthur said, putting a placating hand on his wife's arm, although he was looking at Ginny disapprovingly.

"Ginevra Weasley," a wizard in deep purple robes began, "You are required to attend a trial for your crimes in attempted poisoning and use of an illegal substance. Please come with us immediately or you shall face a more severe judgment."

"Now, now," Dumbledore said hurriedly, "Let us discuss this first. No need to be hasty."

The wizard drew himself up. "We are required to take her in imme-"

"Would you let me talk to my daughter, first?" Molly screeched. The wizard shut his mouth and discreetly backed up (and Harry wasn't ashamed to same that he did the same, dragging Blaise with him by the hand). Molly turned to Dumbledore. "What is this all about?"

Dumbledore raised a placating hand. "Molly, dear, your daughter here is just a child. She didn't mean to do what she did, I'm sure-"

"What. Happened," Molly interrupted, her voice deathly calm. Everyone in the room shrank back a bit (not that the three professors would ever admit that, Harry knew).

Snape must have felt the need to step in because he sneered and replied, "Your daughter here had decided it was a good idea to feed this boy here Amortentia."

Molly gave a little gasp and immediately rushed over to Harry, grabbing his face none too gently and stared at him. Judging by the look of utter distaste and disgruntledness, this wasn't what Snape had planned.

Stepping back, Molly cleared her throat. "But that's impossible! Harry is perfectly fine, see? And my Ginny would never do such a thing!" Molly said sharply.

The wizard in the purple robes stepped forward again, if a bit more tentatively. "Unfortunately, Mrs Weasley, even if the accusations were false, there is still plausible evidence that needs to be examined and your daughter needs to be taken in until the evidence has been thoroughly checked, for everyone's safety," he explained pompously.

Molly Weasley looked at her daughter, standing there meekly and perhaps a bit terrified. "Did you do this? Did you really force a love potion on Harry?" Her face was stern and cold, almost as if cast from stone (and really, remarkably like the face McGonagall was also wearing at that moment).

Harry suppressed a snigger. There was no way anybody could lie to that face.

"...Yes." Ginny's voice was quiet and nothing like when she had had Harry under her thumb (unwillingly, that was).

Molly drew herself up. Her face was like thunder. Ginny began to silently cry.

Hurriedly, before she could open her mouth, the purple-robed wizard laid a hand on Ginny's shoulder and nodded. "This is what we needed. Thank you for your cooperation, Mrs Weasley, Mr Weasley." Molly shut her mouth and blinked. "Come along now, young woman, you have a lot to answer to..." His voice trailed off as he left the room, Ginny still sobbing as she was pulled along with him.

"Well," Dumbledore said brightly. "That's that! Why don't we have a spot of tea? Molly dear, you're looking a bit pale, here have a biscuit... Oh, don't worry, I'm sure you'll see Ginevra soon."

Harry sat down on the couch with Blaise and finally laughed.


End file.
